A-B Preview: Return of the Champs
March 15, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three 2016 MHSAA champions will take the floor for Friday’s Semifinals in Classes A and B.
Warren Cousino is back attempting to repeat in Class A, and Marshall is seeking to do the same in Class B. The third guarantees there will be a new Class C champion this weekend; Ypsilanti Arbor Prep won that title last year but is in Class B and earned the top ranking during the regular season.
All four Class A and B Semifinals will be played Friday, with all four championship games Saturday.
Semifinals - Friday
Class A
Warren Cousino (24-2) vs. Flushing (22-3), 1 p.m.
East Kentwood (25-1) vs. Southfield Arts & Technology (22-4), 2:50 p.m.
Class B
Detroit Country Day (24-1) vs. Marshall (23-2), 6 p.m.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (26-0) vs. Freeland (26-0), 7:50 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Class A - Noon
Class B - 6 p.m.
Class C - 4 p.m.
Class D - 10 a.m.
Tickets cost $8 per pair of Semifinals and $10 per two-game Finals session. All Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv on a pay-per-view basis. All four Finals will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit, the Class D, A and C Finals on the network’s PLUS channel and Class B on the primary channel. Free radio broadcasts of all weekend games will be available on MHSAANetwork.com.
And now, a look at the semifinalists in Class A and Class B. Click on the name of the school to see that team’s full schedule and results from this season. (Statistics are through teams' Regional Finals, except Freeland’s are through the end of the regular season.) The Girls Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
Class A
EAST KENTWOOD
Record/rank: 25-1, No. 9
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Jimmy Carter, sixth season (79-57)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 57-43 over No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores in the Regional Semifinal, 59-45 and 63-46 over Grand Haven, 51-49 (District Final) and 52-43 over Grand Rapids Christian.
Players to watch: Lazurea Saunders, 6-0 jr. C (14 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 spg); Alona Blackwell, 5-10 soph. F (10 ppg, 3.0 apg);
Outlook: East Kentwood has its second 20-win season under Carter, but also has increased its win total each of the last four winters. The Falcons are 11 victories better than a year ago and won their first Regional title last week. The only loss was to Class B No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in East Kentwood’s second game. Eight players average at least five points per game; sophomore guard Mauriya Barnes (11.5 ppg) and junior center Corinne Jemison (10) add plenty of scoring off the bench.
FLUSHING
Record/rank: 22-3, unranked
League finish: First in Flint Metro League.
Coach: Larry Ford, 13th season (228-67)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 45-39 over No. 4 Midland Dow in the Regional Final, 47-25 over Flint Hamady, 65-37 and 50-39 (District Final) over Flint Carman-Ainsworth.
Players to watch: Lauren Newman, 5-8 sr. G (11.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Shelby Morrow, 5-7 jr. G (10.9 ppg, 2.5 spg).
Outlook: Flushing has advanced to its first Semifinal since 1976 and won 21 of its last 22 games after opening 1-2 this winter. The Dow win in the Regional Final avenged one of those early losses, and the others were to No. 3 Saginaw Heritage and Class B top-ranked Arbor Prep. Only league rival Fenton (41) has scored more than 40 points against the Raiders since Dec. 6. Senior 6-foot center Bre Perry adds to a balanced attack with 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
SOUTHFIELD ARTS & TECHNOLOGY
Record/rank: 22-4, No. 6
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Michele Marshall, 22nd season (276-92)
Championship history: First season as a program.
Best wins: 55-51 over No. 1 Detroit Martin Luther King in the Regional Final, 68-52 over Detroit Renaissance in the District Final, 52-38 over Ann Arbor Huron in the Quarterfinal.
Players to watch: Deja Church, 5-10 sr. G (20.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg); Alexis Johnson, 5-10 soph. F (14.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg).
Outlook: Although Southfield A&T technically is a new program, Marshall formerly built Southfield Lathrup into a top program before that school and the former Southfield High merged last fall. Lathrup won the Class A title in 2005. Church was a Miss Basketball finalist and will continue at University of Michigan. Freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans adds another 10.3 points and six rebounds per game and with Church is among three who had at least 22 3-pointers this season entering the week.
WARREN COUSINO
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Mike Lee, eighth season (150-43)
Championship history: Class A champion 2016.
Best wins: 47-41 over Farmington Hills Mercy in the Quarterfinal, 41-39 over Bloomfield Hills Marian in the Regional Final, 53-51, 52-34 and 66-45 over No. 7 Port Huron Northern.
Players to watch: Kierra Fletcher, 5-9 sr. G (22.7 ppg, 13 rpg, 6.2 apg, 5.2 spg, 2.1 bpg); Erin McArthur, 5-6 sr. G (13.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.4 apg, 4.1 spg, 65 3-pointers).
Outlook: Cousino was as big a surprise last season as a 23-win team could be – but definitely won’t be this weekend. Fletcher was a Miss Basketball finalist after starring in last season’s Finals, and she’ll continue her career at Georgia Tech. In addition to Fletcher and McArthur, senior Rachel Hayes and sophomore Mackenzie Cook also started in last season’s championship game and current starter senior Aubrey Fetzer played 21 minutes off the bench. Cousino also picked up two wins over league foe Macomb Dakota, which also made the Quarterfinals.
Class B
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 24-1, No. 2
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Frank Orlando, 36th season (757-113)
Championship history: Eleven MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 55-46 over Class A No. 1 Detroit Martin Luther King, 56-46 over Class A No. 4 Midland Dow, 60-51 over Class A No. 6 Southfield A&T, 53-35 over Ann Arbor Huron.
Players to watch: Destiny Pitts, 6-0 sr. G (22.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 71 3-pointers); Kaela Webb, 5-7 jr. G (14.8 ppg, 3.0 apg, 36 3-pointers).
Outlook: Country Day returned to the Semifinals last season and will try to send off Pitts with a second title in three seasons. She also was a Miss Basketball finalist and will continue at University of Minnesota. She was named Class B Player of the Year by The Associated Press, and Webb also made the all-state first team. In addition to an impressive Class A lineup and its Class B run, the Yellowjackets beat Class C semifinalists Detroit Edison PSA and Flint Hamady during the regular season.
FREELAND
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 5
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference Central.
Coach: Tom Zolinski, 10th season (198-45)
Championship history: Class C champion 1998.
Best wins: 68-45 over No. 9 Bay City John Glenn in the District Semifinal, 57-35 and 39-38 over Saginaw Swan Valley, 53-38 over Cadillac in the Quarterfinal.
Players to watch: Jenna Gregory, 5-10 sr. F (10 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.5 spg); Alyssa Argyle, 5-9 soph. F (9.7 ppg, 2.7 spg);
Outlook: The Falcons are back in the Semifinals for the first time since 2012 and with only two wins decided by fewer than 10 points. Freeland is 47-3 over the last two seasons and has dominated this one with a balanced lineup; five players average at least seven points per game, and five entered the postseason with at least 20 3-pointers. Bullock Creek was the other opponent to get within 10 points, and the Falcons beat the Lancers in the District Final by 40.
MARSHALL
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 6
League finish: First in Interstate Eight Athletic Conference.
Coach: Sal Konkle, 17th season (305-95)
Championship history: Class B champion 2016, runner-up 1981.
Best wins: 49-27 over No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the Quarterfinal, 55-29 over Comstock in the District Semifinal, 41-40 and 50-29 over Jackson Northwest.
Players to watch: Nikki Tucker, 5-10 sr. F (15.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg); Jill Konkle, 5-6 sr. G (11.3 ppg, 43 3-pointers).
Outlook: The reigning Class B champion is surging again, avenging its second loss by beating GRCC in the Quarterfinal; the other defeat came to No. 3 Williamston on opening night. Four senior starters are back from last season’s Final. Balance and defense are again the names of Marshall’s game: six players score at least 4.8 ppg, and of the 23 wins, only that first over the league rival Mounties came by fewer than 10 points.
YPSILANTI ARBOR PREP
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 1
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Rod Wells, sixth season (129-17)
Championship history: Class C champion 2016.
Best wins: 41-39 over No. 3 Williamston in the Quarterfinal, 53-38 over No. 8 Ida in the Regional Semifinal, 38-28 over Flushing, 53-33 over Ann Arbor Huron, 72-31 over Detroit Mumford, 57-39 over Class A No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores.
Players to watch: Adrienne Anderson, 5-7 sr. G (13.7 ppg, 4.2 spg); Ro’zhane Wells, 5-5 sr. G (10.6 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.9 spg).
Outlook: Arbor Prep’s encore to last season’s Class C title has been to move to Class B and go undefeated. Senior forwards Cydney Williams (9.1 ppg) and Kayla Knight (4.8) joined Anderson and Wells starting in last season’s championship game, and 6-0 junior forward Lasha Petree adds another 10.4 ppg this winter. Only Williamston and Dearborn Heights Robichaud in the District Final have gotten closer than 10 points as the team has given up more than 40 only five times. Arbor Prep also downed Class C quarterfinalist Detroit PSA.
PHOTO: Freeland downed Ithaca last week to claim a Class B Regional title. Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 15, 2024
We’re nearly halfway through this girls basketball season, and with every week that passes the Michigan Power Ratings become a more accurate picture of what the state’s teams have accomplished this season – and a forecaster of which two will be seeded first and second and on opposite sides of District brackets in March.
MPR is based on results against other MHSAA Tournament opponents during the regular season. Several lists, showing all teams together, separately by division or broken down even further by District, can be found on the MPR page. A “snapshot in time” look of the top 20 in each division will be provided every Monday on the Girls Basketball Rankings page, and MPR also helps determine which games and teams are highlighted in every week’s “Breslin Bound” report.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Ishpeming 57, Negaunee 53 The Hematites (6-0) handed the Miners (9-1) their only loss, and also the first in this series since Feb. 26, 2015, as Negaunee had won the last 17 meetings between the rivals.
2. Rockford 55, Grand Haven 38 The Rams (9-0) also won a matchup of undefeated teams, staying atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red with East Kentwood and with the Buccaneers (8-1) one of three teams one game back.
3. Lansing Catholic 62, Portland 34 The reigning Class B champion Cougars (4-3) pushed back past .500 by handing the Raiders (8-1) their lone loss this winter.
4. St. Charles 45, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 27 St. Charles (7-1) extended its winning streak to seven and moved into first alone in the Mid-State Activities Conference by handing the Irish (8-1) their lone defeat.
5. Bath 35, Dansville 17 The Bees (7-0) continued their perfect start coming off last season’s 7-15 finish, handing this loss to the reigning Central Michigan Athletic Conference champion after losing to the Aggies (5-2) by 10 a year ago.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Jackson Northwest (6-1) The Mounties have been formidable for several years, but last season’s shared Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title was their first since winning it outright in 2017-18. They’re working toward a much quicker repeat, and perhaps more. Northwest defeated the other reigning co-champ Coldwater 43-35 last week and also have a 52-47 win over Haslett, avenging two of their losses from last season’s 21-3 run. Coming up Tuesday is the first of two games with Marshall, the only other team undefeated in I8AC play this winter.
West Bloomfield (7-0) Last season’s Division 1 runner-up opened this season by again defeating Salem, its Semifinal opponent a year ago, and hasn’t been slowed while winning all its games by at least 18 points. Four starters are back, including Georgia-bound twins Indya and Summer Davis and Loyola-Chicago signee Kendall Hendrix. Last week’s wins over Detroit Country Day and Southfield Arts & Technology made for an impressive week, and undefeated Lake Orion is next up Tuesday to start Oakland Activities Association Red play.
DIVISION 2
Chelsea (7-2) Few have played a stronger schedule, as Chelsea’s opponents have a .710 winning percentage, and yet the Bulldogs have losses only to Rockford and Dexter as they look to build on last year’s 25-2 campaign. They’re the only team to defeat Jackson Northwest, 57-47, and an early 26-point win over Clarkston also pops off the page. Freeland (7-1) is up Tuesday before the start of Southeastern Conference White play, and a Dexter rematch is scheduled for Feb. 23.
Grand Rapids West Catholic (7-1) The Falcons are another contender to have lost to Rockford, but that’s it as they’ve moved to a combined 67-5 over the last four seasons and after making the Division 2 Semifinals a year ago before falling to eventual champion Lansing Catholic. West Catholic’s opponents have won nearly 70 percent of their games as well, with a key O-K Blue matchup coming up Friday in one-loss Spring Lake.
DIVISION 3
Michigan Center (10-0) The Cardinals already have surpassed last season’s 8-13 finish, and Thursday’s 59-54 overtime win over Grass Lake and December win over East Jackson gave Michigan Center victories over two of last season’s three co-champions in the Cascades Conference. Napoleon was the third champ last winter, and all three join Michigan Center in the new Cascades’ East division.
Niles Brandywine (7-0) The Bobcats are undefeated through the first half of the Lakeland Conference schedule after finishing second to rival Buchanan and 21-3 overall last winter. All three of those losses last season were to the Bucks, and Brandywine won their first meeting this time 38-27 with the rematch set for Feb. 1. Even more notably, the Bobcats handed reigning Division 3 runner-up Blissfield its only loss, 45-43 on Dec. 27 at the Michigan Hardwood Classic.
DIVISION 4
Bloomfield Hills Roeper (7-0) The Roughriders have bounded back into the Division 4 conversation over the last two seasons, finishing 16-6 a year ago and launching this start. Roeper handed Sterling Heights Parkway Christian its only defeat in the Roughriders’ Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red opener Jan. 5 and as they seek to move up from tied for second place last year – with reigning champion Whitmore Lake in the MIAC Blue this season.
Kingston (8-1) The Cardinals are a combined 64-10 over the last four seasons and reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals a year ago. After taking a 45-35 loss against undefeated Division 2 contender Goodrich on Dec. 13, Kingston bounced back to hand Harbor Beach its only loss, 69-33. The Cardinals have held four opponents to fewer than 20 points and two more to fewer than 30, a main reason all eight wins are by at least 27 points.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Wednesday – Macomb Dakota (9-1) at Grosse Pointe North (7-1) – Dakota has an early one-game lead in the Macomb Area Conference Red on reigning champion GPN after North’s loss to Port Huron last week; Dakota sees Port Huron on Friday.
Thursday – Mendon (8-1) at Colon (7-0) – These two sit atop the Southern Central Athletic Association West standings after Colon won the West and Mendon was runner-up in the Southwest 10 Conference South last season.
Thursday – Stevensville Lakeshore (8-0) at Portage Central (7-0) – This is the first of their two meetings after Lakeshore was first and Central tied for second in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West last season.
Thursday – Mio (8-0) at Alcona (6-0) – The Thunderbolts look likely to make a run at the North Star League Big Dipper title, and a win over one of last year’s three co-champions certainly would provide a spark.
Friday – Rockford (9-0) at East Kentwood (8-1) – First place in the O-K Red is on the line, as is the Rams’ 32-game winning streak going back to December 2022.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) A 45-37 win over Williamston on Dec. 21 was part of DeWitt’s 8-1 start. (Middle) Coleman and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart players work for possession during last month’s 32-22 Irish win. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)